Pingtan Island is home to kind, guileless and diligent inhabitants. Since ancient times, folk customs in Pingtan are of distinctive insular features. Specifically, folk cultures like diet, marriage, birth and upbringing, festivities, socializing, and beliefs have much in common with Han Chinese elsewhere while the locals keep their own uniqueness. Meanwhile, there are slight differences of customs throughout the Island, some even varying from islet to islet and from village to village. As an old Chinese saying goes, “Customs differ even in a quite short distance.”

Cane Shield Exercise

It is said the prevailing Pingtan Cane Shield Exercise was invented by mid-Ming General Qi Jiguang and improved later by General Zheng Chenggong. When performing, the players, who hold weapons of various sizes and cane shields, move and fight in a choreographed style. The exercise is often accompanied by percussions as well as the Chinese suona to create an intense atmosphere of capturing the enemy commander. In 2007, the traditional exercise was selected into Fuzhou’s First List of Intangible Cultural Heritages. Now, drills of Cane Shield Exercise can be seen at times in Haitan Ancient Town, one of the signature scenic spots in Pingtan.